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NON-PROFIT HAPPENINGS - July 2009

Changes for Higher Education in Grand County

Sam Sturman
Sam Sturman

Changes are forthcoming to the Utah State University Moab Center. Sam Sturman, the Associate Director for Moab, has been approved as an adjunct assistant professor in the Recreation Resource Management Program. Sam will continue his advising and student support duties with USU Moab. He will teach face-to-face and interactive broadcast courses for Regional Campuses and Distance Education. This new teaching assignment will add greatly to the development of a budding program in Recreation Resource Management at the Moab Center.

A second major development is the USU Moab Education Center will have its first full-time faculty position starting in the fall semester of 2010. As a result of community efforts to identify and articulate local higher education needs, Utah State University has committed funds to the Moab Education Center to support a full-time faculty member in the discipline of Recreation Resource Management. The creation of this new position at the Moab Center represents a deepened commitment on the part of USU to support community driven efforts to expand higher education offerings. Recreation Resource Management was identified by the Moab “Higher Education Action Team” as a high priority that blends well with the unique nature of the Moab area. The new faculty member will be responsible for teaching courses that are part of the Recreation Resource Management degree, conduct relevant research in Southeast Utah, collaborate with natural resource agencies, and serve as a resource to the local community. It is anticipate that the new faculty member will begin duties in the fall semester of 2010.

Dr. Sturman stated, “This is a great step for the future of higher education in Moab/Grand County. These changes to the Moab Center happened in part from the support of the community. If we are to ever have a university campus in our community, it will require continued USU and community partnerships. I am optimistic that we can serve both local students and become a destination campus. We still have many challenges ahead of us. Our goal for the fall semester of 2010 is to recruit 25 new students to the Recreation Resource Management Degree. We have to address the issues of student housing, strengthening our local educational foundation, and advertising our program to the world.”

If you are interested in helping with any of the identified projects please contact Sam Sturman at 259-7432 and be sure to mention you read about it in Moab Happenings.

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